Love
by eriririri
Summary: With being granted with the day off, Takano and Ritsu; lovers, neighbors, along with a boss-worker relationship, are in each other's company. Nothing too big happens, of course, but the subject of how much Ritsu really loves Takano.


"So... just how _much_ do you love me?"

"Haaaah?! What the hell are you doing in here?!" Ritsu screamed, jerking back from underneath the older brunette. He looked at him, yanking the blanket up to his chin in an annoyed manner. After all, all he was doing was _finally_ getting a peaceful sleep; that is, until Takano - his neighbor, lover, and boss - came and ruined it.

"You're not going to answer my question? That's rude of you," Takano scolded, scooting slightly to get closer to Ritsu. In return, the younger brunette scooted back, only stopping when the back of his head hit the wall forcefully.

Takano snorted, trying not to laugh even louder as Ritsu rubbed the back of his head and growled, "Dammit, Takano-san!"

"That was very _uncool_ of you, you know."

"Whose _fault_ do you think that is?!" Ritsu snapped, lunging forward the slightest to cover the older man with his blanket. But, instead, Takano took the gesture as an invitation, lunging forward himself to wrap his arms around the younger man's waist, pulling him closer as he made them both fall back onto the bed. "Are you going to answer my question, Ritsu?"

The younger man twitched, his face taking on heat when Takano said his name. "Are you going to answer mine, T-Takano-san?"

The older brunette sighed in annoyance, shaking his head in frustration. He shifted to get comfortable, all the while keeping his hold on the younger man. "Your question...?"

"Why did you break in?!" he spat, flailing around until Takano's grasp loosened. Finally managing to get out of said grasp, he scrambled quickly, dusting himself off as he stood from falling on the floor.

"I didn't break in," Takano told him truthfully, shaking his head even more. He sniffed, narrowing his eyes as he sat up to lean against the wall.

"But... clearly... clearly you did - "

"The door was already unlocked. Really, Ritsu," he went on, smirking as he watched the brunette twitch and flush more at the sound of his name coming from his mouth. "You should seriously check the locks before you go to bed. Wouldn't want prowlers coming in."

"You mean like _you_?" Ritsu accused, crossing his arms as he looked at his boss.

"Me? How can I be a prowler if the door was unlocked? Besides, it's your own fault you left it unlocked. If it's unlocked, it's like said prowlers were given an invitation, so, all in all - "

"Okay, okay, shut up!" the younger man insisted loudly, waving his hands in the air as if to say _really, that's enough._ He sighed, setting his hands on his hips. "Shouldn't you be at work?"

"Did you really forget?"

"E-Eh? F... forget what?"

"_We_ have the day off, moron," he informed his lover, rolling his eyes as Ritsu threw a mini-fit. "Must I repeat what all was said?" he continued, raising a brow at the other male, snorting when he nodded the tiniest bit. "We've been working ourselves too hard, apparently, so we were granted a day off; only going to be called if something major happens, blah, yada yada, blah. That aside, aren't you going to answer my question?"

The young brunette blinked slightly, narrowing his eyes as he tried to remember the question. "Uh..."

"How much do you love me, Ritsu?"

Another twitch and another flush of heat in the face. Ritsu laughed nervously, turning on his heel as he began to randomly pick up trash, clothes, and books off the floor. "Th-That is an incredibly silly q-question."

"Then why aren't you answering it?"

"E-Eh?"

"If it's silly, it should be fairly simple for you to answer; simple as in easy, so, you see - "

The younger man dropped everything with a loud _thud_, throwing his hand in the air, indicating for Takano to stop. When Ritsu was sure he had indeed stopped for good, he let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding in. He began picking things up again - until Takano's arms slid easily around his waist, pulling him into an embrace; which, truthfully, frightened the younger brunette, as he never heard a sound. "... Takano-san?"

"But... you do... love me, right?"

Another flush of heat and he began to wonder why his neighbor always made him get warmer and warmer with each touch, each embrace, with each silly and serious and love-filled sentence he spoke. Slowly, he nodded, murmuring, "That... that is what I said..."

"I wonder, though..." Takano trailed off, his eyes narrowing more as he tightened his arms around Ritsu. Confused, the younger brunette glanced behind him, noting the expression on his lover's face. "You wonder?" Ritsu asked, unsure.

The older man nodded. "I wonder... just how much you love me."

"I-I clearly love you enough. I mean - "

"Yeah, sure," he interrupted, burying his face where Ritsu's neck met his shoulder. "You let me stay over, we have sex, and I feel it, honestly - but... don't you think there is something missing?"

"Miss...ing?" Ritsu repeated, shifting uncomfortably in his lover's hold. He wasn't too sure what he meant, but at the same time, he understood. _But... he couldn't mean that we should..._

"I've given you the keys to my apartment when you thoroughly refused to move in with me. I've called you 'Ritsu' more times than I can count. I tell you I love you more times in a day than you do in a week."

Again, Ritsu shifted uncomfortably. After all, what the older brunette had said was true. But, also, in truth - Ritsu really did love Takano very much; so much, that he wasn't even sure _very much_ was enough to cut it. He was so engulfed in his thoughts that he didn't notice Takano had picked him up until he felt his hand steadying him in between his legs - as he was over his shoulder. "H-Hey, T-T-Takano-san!" he yelled, cringing slightly when the older man dropped him on the bed.

"But even so, I'm willing to put up with it," he stated honestly, cutting off Ritsu's next words with a kiss. He chuckled as he pulled back, his arms pulling his lover closer - so close that he wasn't sure whether it was Ritsu's heart that was pounding so quickly, or his very own. "Ritsu..." he whispered sweetly, nuzzling the younger man's jaw with his nose. "I love you."

"E-Eh?! T-Takano...san..." the younger man muttered, his eyebrows furrowing in confusion as Takano rolled over slightly. Ritsu looked over at him, his eyes widening slightly as he took in his lover's closed eyes, the serene set of his face, the sweet smelling breath that hit his face gently - as they were still tangled together closely. "Ta...kano-san?" he whispered, reaching a hand somewhat to stroke that peaceful looking, tired, smooth face.

_That's right... he must be incredibly tired... nevermind the fact it's still morning..._ Ritsu thought, his eyebrows set in that certain concerned manner as he was pulled more closely against the man. He sighed, basking in the feel of being so close to Takano after so long. "Nn... I love you... M-Masamune..." he whispered, almost inaudibly as he turned to lay face-to-face with his lover.

Together, like that, they drifted off to the sleep they deserved.

-~-~-

Ritsu coughed, rolling over as he wiped off his mouth. "Dammit, Takano-san," he sighed, quickly hoisting himself off his bed. The glare on his face continued on, even when he moved around in the kitchen.

"All I did was kiss you..." the older brunette objected, scratching his head as he followed his lover into the kitchen.

"Until I couldn't breathe."

"Correction: until you woke up."

"As if!" Ritsu exclaimed, slamming drawers closed and yanking them open. "You kissed me until I couldn't breathe... I could have died..." he repeated absentmindedly, rummaging through a particular drawer - ignoring the flush on his face, along with the intense stare he felt Takano give him from behind.

"Yeah, yeah. What're you cooking? Can I help?" he added, in a way of being polite. He walked over, getting more close to the young brunette just as he whipped around, holding a small, white envelope in his hand.

"Here! Take it before I change my mind!"

"What are you - ?"

"Take it!" Ritsu insisted, waving it around frantically in his hand. He kept his head down, too embarrassed to look his lover in the eye. _If he laughs, I swear... If he jokes about it, I swear..._ he thought over and over, dropping his hand when he felt Takano take the envelope.

He silently stayed still in front of him as he heard Takano rip open the envelope. From the tops of his eyes and through his brown bangs, he watched as the older man dumped the small, silver key into the palm of his hand. "R...Ritsu? A key?"

"... _My_ key," he whispered softly, biting his lip as he fought to turn into stone - when, suddenly, Takano busted out laughing, stepping forward quickly to take the young man in his arms. "Wh-Wha - ?!"

"Thank you, Ritsu," he laughed, loosening his grip on his lover. He trailed his hands up to Ritsu's shoulders, bending slightly to put his forehead against the young brunette's. "But... you know what would make this better?"

Ritsu hesitated, unsure. Indeed, he knew what would make it better - _far_ better, but... _I'm afraid I'll be unable to say it without choking due to nerves..._ he thought bitterly, narrowing his eyes slightly. "It'll... it'll only be a whisper, though..."

"That's okay."

More hesitation - but he knew Takano wouldn't give up. "I... I love you, M...M... Masamune..." the young brunette whispered, heat radiating off his body in strong waves.

"Thank you, Ritsu," Takano repeated, sighing as he took his lover in his arms. He rested his cheek on top of the younger man's head, squeezing him slightly. "You are my first love."

"Y-You... you are... you are my first love, as well."

Takano smiled, squeezing Ritsu more and more as his heat continued to grow stronger. He let go somewhat, cupping the brunette's flushed face in his hands; bending slightly to press his lips against his lover's. "Not that I didn't know that already."


End file.
